The long-delayed clash for the vacant SA junior welterweight title involving East London boxer Aphiwe Mboyiya will finally take place at the Sun City Superbowl on September 20.
Numerous obstacles complicated negotiations for Mboyiya’s battle against old foe Sibusiso Zingange, resulting in a four-month delay.
The East London southpaw won their two previous bouts.
The fight became the subject of boardroom debate when Zingange sought to enforce his challenge after Boxing SA initially approved eighth-ranked Sipho Mahlangu to face Mboyiya for the crown in East London in May.
Zingange, rated second after Mboyiya, argued that he deserved the title shot because he was ranked higher than Mahlangu.
BSA sided with Zingange and invited purse bids to contest the promotional rights but a bungle on its terms forced Mboyiya’s promoter, KayB Promotions, to pull out, leaving no-one bidding.
KayB negotiated with Zingange’s promoter, Joyce Kungwane, who scheduled the bout for July 26 at Emperors Palace, Kempton Park.
However, the fight was called off at the 11th hour when Emperors Palace withdrew, forcing Kungwane to look for a new venue.
“I am happy to say we have secured a September 20 date and Sun City for the fight,” she said.
“It has taken a long time due to unforeseen challenges, but we surmounted them to give the fans the fight they had been waiting for.”
Kungwane, one of Gauteng’s top woman promoters, secured heavyweight partners for the showdown, which she said would be bigger than it would have been at Emperors Palace.
Mboyiya beat Zingange for the IBO All Africa junior lightweight title in September 2015 before repeating the feat two years later in controversial circumstances.
In their second clash, Mboyiya failed to make the weight and used banned substances to beat the scales, earning a lengthy ban, with the outcome changed to a no contest.
Zingange has been gunning for revenge ever since.
He got his opportunity when both fighters moved up to the junior welterweight division after Mboyiya failed in his bid to dethrone then SA lightweight champion Tshifhiwa Munyai for his third national belt.
Having claimed his first SA title when he beat Sydney Maluleke in 2012, Mboyiya captured the junior lightweight crown with a decision victory over Jasper Seroka.
Though he is expected to have a psychological edge due to his previous victories, Mboyiya will probably be the underdog because he will be fighting away from home.
He has had a new lease of life since teaming up with rising trainer Lonki Witbooi, who guided him to back-to-back wins which vaulted him to the top contender spot in the SA ratings.
Daily Dispatch
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